The Cairn Terrier comes from the Scottish Highlands and people originally bred these cute little dogs to hunt vermin. Because of that, just like other Terriers, they have a strong prey drive. This is something you have to understand right away! They are cute and small, but they have the attitude of a real terrier – stubborn, playful, with an immense desire to dig and chase small animals. However, if you satisfy their need to do a job (some dog sports, maybe?), they will be the best dogs! Why? Because they love affection from their owners, they are cuddly after they’ve had their run, and are small enough to fit any living accommodations.

Size

Cairn Terrier is a small dog. Both males and females don’t go over 10 inches (25 cm) and they weigh up to 14 pounds (6 kg). Females are usually smaller. While they are small, they don’t look fragile or like the wind will blow them away. Remember, they’ve got terrier blood which makes them sturdy! 

Of course, this does not mean you can treat a 14 pound dog the same as a 50 pound one. They can play rough, but not as rough as, for example, a Bull Terrier. 

Color

According to the British Kennel Club, the standard coat colors are:

• Cream
• Red
• Gray
• Wheaten
• Black (not solid)

All of these colors can have brindling and can have tan points on the muzzle or ears, which are quite common.

If you check the American Kennel Club, they get into more specific color names, such as gray brindle, red brindle, silver, and so on. But, it’s essentially the same. The difference is that it seems the AKC accepts the solid black coat color.

Social Traits

Cairn Terriers are not overly friendly dogs for those outside their family. They are very loyal and affectionate to their owners, and go well with children as well. But, it’s that stubborn and a bit stand-offish trait of a Terrier that makes them less friendly toward strangers.

For example, most Golden Retrievers will be overjoyed to greet new dogs in an exciting and friendly manner. Cairn Terrier? Not so much. They will be much more reserved and might even try to show they’re the boss! 

So, what can we do? We have to spend a lot of time socializing our Cairns, and never stop doing it.

Unfortunately, no matter how well we socialize and habituate a Cairn Terrier, chances are they’ll always have a very high prey drive, which makes it very difficult to leave them alone with small animals. Yes, you can have a Cairn that doesn’t care about the squirrels, but we’re talking about the majority, not the exceptions. 

What does high prey drive mean in terms of owning a Cairn Terrier? It means you cannot let them off leash in unfenced areas. Their recall works for nothing, even if we trained them well, when they sense an animal they could hunt.

Also, they are true escape artists! Similar to their cousins, the Australian Terriers, they’ll look and find a way to run away if they can! Not because they don’t like it at your home, but because their prey drive is really high! 

Trainability

The Cairn Terrier is a smart dog but a stubborn one as well because of their prey drive. This means you won’t have issues with a Cairn Terrier inside your home. They’ll quickly learn basic obedience and commands. But recall is something you’ll struggle with when you are outside.

And, it’s not a joke. A Cairn Terrier is a small dog, albeit feisty. This means it can easily get hurt or attacked by other animals. Depending where you live, even some big prey birds might see a Cairn dog as a yummy snack. 

They’ll quickly learn the rules, but will also try to manipulate you using their wits. Don’t get fooled by their size. A Cairn Terrier can be a bossy dog and if you don’t show you are the one deciding what’s OK and what is off limits, they’ll gladly test your patience.

Activity Needs

The Cairn Terrier is an active little dog. They need at least 1 hour of daily activities. This means they won’t be happy with a quick potty walk two times a day. They need human companionship and longer, more meaningful walks. What is a meaningful walk? Any walk in which a dog can sniff, explore, take its time, and not just get hurried by an owner to “do the business” and get back home.

Don’t forget that they need something to do. They are not like small dogs that people bred to be lap dogs. A Cairn is a terrier! That means you can’t leave them with nothing to do all day long every day. If you have to do that, doggy care is a good option.

They can go on hikes with you, just don’t make it too long. Up to 3 miles (5 km) with no breaks is alright for an adult healthy Cairn. But, if you go on longer hikes, they will need breaks to rest their little legs.

Feeding

A Cairn Terrier dog doesn’t eat a lot. The usual amount of food they need every day is from ½ to 1 cup of kibble. We should divide this amount into two meals. One meal in the morning and the other one in the evening.

You can also add some homemade food, like cooked beef (no seasoning!), but then you have to adjust the amount of kibble you give them. You have to balance the amount to keep your dog healthy but satiated. 

Using the Body Condition Score is an easy and quick way to determine whether your dog is underweight, normal weight, or overweight.

Grooming

They are easy to groom. An adult Cairn Terrier needs a weekly brushing to keep everything in order. They also require hand-stripping from time to time, simply to keep the proper coat texture. As for the other things, just like any other dog, you need to clip their nails regularly and give them a bath when they get too dirty or you can smell a dog odor.

Coat type: wiry and double
Coat length: medium

Possible Issues

Generally speaking, they are a healthy dog breed. Of course, this depends on how informed and responsible breeders are. Breeders must test their dogs and avoid using those with genetic diseases in breeding programs. 

But, we can’t prevent every disease and some might occur. We should pay attention to whether a breeder did these tests:

• Patellar examination
• Eye exam
• Heart exam
• Kidney ultrasound
• Liver Portosystemic Vascular Anomaly (PSVA) and Microvascular Dysplasia (MVD)
• Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy for Terriers (GLD)

The National Breed Club of America recommends these tests.

Final Thoughts

I’d say a Cairn Terrier is a perfect fit for an active household that has enough time to spend training and socializing their dogs. This is also a great dog for families with older children. A Cairn Terrier is a great playmate for children and it’s easy to take care of. They don’t need a lot of food, they are easy to groom, and are generally healthy dogs. The problem is that they’ll probably never learn a recall command when out and about. This means you’ll have to be extra careful when walking your Cairn Terrier off-leash in an unfenced area or unfamiliar area. Overall, Cairn Terriers are great family dogs with strong prey instincts! Absolutely fun to have, but you’ll also need lots of patience to keep up with their stubborn nature.

Read Next: Cesky Terrier Traits – Breeds 101

Cover photo by Los Perros pueden Cocinar